Charles Pierce (female impersonator)
Charles Pierce | |
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North Hollywood, California , U.S. |
Charles Pierce (July 14, 1926 – May 31, 1999) was one of the 20th century's foremost
Life and career
Born in
Initially playing in small gay clubs, his fame spread. He took up residence in San Francisco, where his act became well known to Hollywood stars. As he toured, his costuming became more elaborate, initially adding small props, later full costume and makeup changes. His imitations were imitated by other female impersonators, and his roles included Bette Davis, Mae West, Tallulah Bankhead, Gloria Swanson, Carol Channing, Katharine Hepburn, and Joan Crawford, and these roles became the drag queen canon. His act was centered on wit rather than mimicry; however, it often was said that he looked more like Joan Collins than Joan Collins herself[citation needed].
He performed at many clubs in New York, including
He was a guest actor on an episode of TV's Wonder Woman and played a cross-dressing villain in an episode of Laverne & Shirley ("Murder on the Moose Jaw Express"). Thanks in part to his good friend actress Dixie Carter, Pierce also appeared on an early episode of the sitcom Designing Women as a steward on a cruise ship. During the episode, he imitates Joan Collins (as the ship's waitress) and Bette Davis (as the ship's lounge entertainment). As Davis, he quips: "Was that Joan Collins hustling the tables? One bitch on this boat is enough!"
He died in North Hollywood, California, aged 72, and was cremated. His memorial service at Forest Lawn Memorial Park was carefully planned and scripted by Pierce before his death. Among those attending his memorial was his friend Bea Arthur, who closed with "I’ll See You Again." His ashes were interred in the Columbarium of Providence, Forest Lawn - Hollywood Hills Cemetery in Los Angeles, California.[2]
In Bea Arthur's
Filmography
Year | Title | Episode / segment | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
1972 | The Partners | "Headlines for Higgenbottom" | Pretty Boy Clyde | TV series |
1973 | Love, American Style | "Love and the Baby Derby" | Johnnie | TV series |
1977 | Chico and the Man | "The Dress" | Brad Rushton | TV series |
Starsky and Hutch |
"Death in a Different Place" | Show star Sugar | TV series | |
1978 | Rabbit Test | The Queen of the United Kingdom | written and directed by Joan Rivers | |
Wonder Woman | "Death in Disguise" | Finley / Starker | TV series | |
1980 | Laverne & Shirley | "Murder on the Moose Jaw Express", Parts 1 and 2 | MacGuffin (villain) | TV series |
1982 | Legends of the Silver Screen | HBO Special; live at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion | ||
Madame's Place | "A Visit from Cousin Charlie" | Charley / Bette Davis | TV series | |
1983 | Fame | "Hail to the Chief" | Bag Lady | TV series |
1987 | Designing Women | "Cruising" | Claude | TV series |
1988 | Gay Voices, Gay Legends | Himself | documentary | |
Torch Song Trilogy | Bertha Venation | |||
1989 | DuckTales | "The Good Muddahs" | voices of the warden and Mr. Slinky | TV animated series |
Spies and Lovers | Granny Greenberg | |||
1990 | Nerds of a Feather | |||
1991 | The Butcher's Wife | Beau | ||
1997 | Dragtime HBO Documentary | Himself | ||
2006 | Stardust: The Bette Davis Story | Himself as Bette Davis | TV documentary; archive footage | |
2009 | Queer Icon: The Cult of Bette Davis | Himself as Bette Davis | documentary; archive footage |
Discography
- For Pierce'd Ears (live San Francisco performance), Wanda Records MP2101
- Les Natali presents Charles Pierce. Recorded live at Bimbo's, San Francisco- Blue Thumb Records- BTS-30 -1970
References
- ISBN 978-1-136-57187-9. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
Gold Street
- ^ Wilson, Scott. Resting Places: The Burial Sites of More Than 14,000 Famous Persons, 3d ed.: 2 (Kindle Locations 37242-37243). McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. Kindle Edition
External links
- Charles Pierce at IMDb
- Charles Pierce at the Internet Broadway Database
- Charles Pierce at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Charles Pierce at Find a Grave
- A Charles Pierce tribute site
- http://digitallibrary.usc.edu/cdm/landingpage/collection/p15799coll4 ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, University of Southern California Digital Archives
- Write That Down! The Comedy of Male Actress Charles Pierce, Page 82, Havenhurst Books, 2016 ASIN 0982285388
- "Collection Guide: Pierce (Charles) Photographs, Papers, Costumes, and Memorabilia". ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives. Online Archive of California.
- Charles Pierce Papers, 1954-1998, *T-Mss 1998-008, Billy Rose Theatre Division, New York Public Library for the Performing Arts
- "Charles Pierce: a male actress to remember". The Bay Area Reporter.
- Wallraff, John (2002). From Drags to Riches: The Untold Story of Charles Pierce. Psychology Press. ISBN 978-1-56023-386-2.